PAGE FOUR When we see pictures of the reindeer, we are likely to think of the big, prancing animals that pull the sleigh of Kris Kringle as he dashes through the snow on Christmasllzve, visiting the homes of good children, who, expect- ing hb coming. hang up their stockings near the chimney-place where the kind old gentleman may find them easily and fill them with goodies from his bulging pack. VI-Iowever. wholly apart from this well-loved story. the reindeer are among the niosl useful animals on earth, furnishing man with food. clothing. transportation and even milk. In 1889, the United tales Gov- ernment, to help the starving Al- askan Indians. whose walrus iii- dustry had been destroyed, import- ed about 1.003 reindeer from Siber- la. These. roaming through a. stretch of country some 4.000 miles wide and i500 miles long, throve and so multiplied that today they numbcr more than a million, over half of which are owned by the Eskimo membcrs oi the Indian family. The typical home of the rein- deer is in Lapland, which com- prises part or Norway. Sweden. Finland and Russia. Since they must live in such cold northern countries with no kind of indoor shelter. Natire has thoughtfully provided them with heavy hair, about the neck which keeps them' warm through the coldest days. Perhaps you might wonder how the natives manage about trans- portation in this land of great dis- tances. where trziins. busses. and other means of modern travel can- not enter. Their best friend is the nimble reiiidccr that willingly plill their sleighs for them across the frozen snow. sometimes for as many as a hundred miles a day without needing rest. Reindeo: can run more swiftly than dogs or ev-'2 horses, and since they, like the camel. can subsist on their own fat, they are more sought after than huskies. Alaskan dogs, that must have food found for them along the way. The pleasant sounding name reindeer comes ilrom the Lapp language and signifies "reino" or ”pa.sturage" which means what the name implies - an animal that pastures. In winter, when the are blowing and there is nothing. left for them to graze on above- sharp little hooves. Mrs. Reindeer usually has but the fliky SPCCKS 01 Salt "Om one child a year, and this is call-'ocean. ed a fawn. Both males and fe- males have flat horns which they shed in the spring, but mother Reindeer keeps hers longer than does her mate. no doubt to pro- tect the feeding places for her young. THE GUARDIAN. The ”Santons A Parisian custom already hoary with age in the transforming of the large store windows into strange and wonderful scenes at Christ- mas in which the "automat" is king. These windows are not like those one sees in Canada and the Unit- ed States. or even in Ipndon. The scenes are not necessarily Christ- mas in character, although they are usually flanked on either side by windows filled with walking and talking dolls. tin soldiers. trum- pets, wngons and electric trains just as they are the world over. But the special windows which first attract the crowds are strange. animated scenes which might re- present the interior of a railway station, a visit to the zoo. the circus or a. scene in a fashionable "sports school". In the station. for instance. would be a Scottish gentle- man in kllts arguing about a tip; an American actress followed by a dozen porters loaded with lugg- age; an Englishman in lc-ud plus- fo-urs, or a c:uple of elderly spin- sters; while all around would roar the life of stations. with weird and ludicrous situations. Parisians flock to these windows for a good laugh. This year some of the artists have had the happy idea of animating the "santons". Saiitons are tiny terra cotta figurines, or little carv- ed wooden figures of the Holy Fa- mily and all the other characters which figure in the Nativity scene. The origin of the Santons is lost in the mists of history. But today in almost every home in Italy. Spain and France one finds these -tlllonnv "oi rini. -Make Garlands or Greenery Thick garlands of evergreen are the W111! Straight to a twig that lmnclpm Ch3”cter5 M We Ch”5"' summertime, wonderful decoration, may jut out too far and wire the mas story but also there are little when these are plentiful, reindeer and so much easier to make than twig mme Closely to the main graze on moss, iii-hens, mushrooms you think. For the makmizs. SW8 SW"'- Cmmhue lhe Wife and stunted vegetation. wliile iniyvllir OWH trees a neat trim or 1151! Arctic winds for broken branches where Christ- On warm days, like city people, ground, they live on coral moss reinrieers like to visit the seashore which they can get by pawing,l0 escape the away the frozen snow with their quitoes that are and, also. so that they may lap up the mos- inland. Christmas Eve, when you see St. Nicholas and his eight tiny reindeer coming down sky. remember that not only serve Santa in his yearly trip to earth. but also are a boon to mankind every day of the year. the these steeds mas trees are sold. Use branch little figures on display at Clirist- mas time. Even the poorest family will have at least the three cen- tral oharacters of the Christmas story while others -will be complete with shepherds. sheep. a cow and a donkey. angels and the three wise men, These are placed in the center of the table if small enough (some cf the fugurinea are less than an inch high sometimes). or arranged on the mantelpiece or on a. special table in a corner. Something of the same kind is seen in Canada in the "creche" arranged in Roman Catho- lic and Anglican churches. and ends from 4 to 6 inches long. Buy "5" 1" wme hm"95- a big spool of pliable wire. Wirap the end of the wire closely In some villages fancy and imagi- nation has carried the local ar- around the mam stem of the first tisans further. Very often the little branch. Follow the branch with "Shines Whresehl ml Chlv the with straight wire, bind twigs to. ward the centre. add at new or finish them off here and there with Christmas tree ornaments. bells or ribbon bows. CHRISTMAS COCONUT Brazil's tucum palm is known as the Christmas coconut because the nuts ripen about Christmas time. branch. Leave the garlands plain D statuettes of all the various trades straight in the vlllage:- a baker will be car- along the b.-men. men Wm me rylng a loaf of bread: a blacksmith next branch to the first. tightly will have his hhlmhert the mower around and around, That-5 "Em will carry a scythe; a shepherd will there is to it - follow main stems Carry 9- 13”lb- Md 50 9"- EV” 3'-l"l'3 feminine firures are there: the pas- try-nieker, the dressmaker, and so ll. The first Santons to appear in France were those c.f st, Francis of Assise. It is thought that they may have been of Italian origin. but as his mother came from Provence. in France. she may have taken them south to Italy with her. Pro- vence fs known as the home of the Santon. In the earliest records the gan- cHAizu-m'i-:'rowN , ' ofiChristmas - tons are known to represent the Holy Family. the Pope. bishops and eible characters such as Samson, Goliath and David; saints. Adam and Eve and some very fierce look- ing devils. At that time the idea of representing the ordinary people never occurred to the artisans who made them. The custom died out in mm: parts of the country only to be re- vived again in Provence at the be- ginning of the lbth cenwry. It was the work not these Provencal article which finally fixed the typical French santons of today. At Marseilles a famous artist. Slrnon. created one of the first creches. In addition to the tradi- tional figures he added repentant figures kneeling at the feet of the Christ Child. their heads bowed. There were also monks and nuns in their robes and cowls. Another artist created a set so small that they had to be placed under a magnifying glass dome to be seen in detail. These are so perfect that they are now museum pieces. Father Martel. in Prcvence, cre- ated some new characters. He chose as his models some street charac- ters. hawkers, street urchins. crip- pies and gnomes. while another re- created a. whole village with the houses grouped around the historic stable with its manger. some 10,000 little fugurines represent every single citizen in the town and the surrounding ccuntry. Today the tradition of "Santons" at Christmas has travelled for be- yond the borders of France. Even in Montreal and New York the lit- tle figures may be bought. so this year the animation of the Santcns in Parisian store windows will bring the story of the birth of Christ. Child to thousands of Parisi- an children. and grown-ups, in a new and interesting way. THE CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS Christmas-or "Noel" as it is known in France-ls particularly a day for the children. It is rare that grown persons cxchange gifts at that time. They usually wait for the New Year. when their own fete is held. In France the Christmas tree cus- tom Ls growing but it is nothing like as univesal as it is in Canada. The custom has been practiced for a very long time in Alsace-I.or- raince. but until the people of Strasburg were mcved into the center of France for safety in 1939 and carried their custom with th.-m. this wonderful Christmas idea was not practiced in other parts of the country to any extent. Instead. the French child expect- ed the Pere Noel to put his pre- sents in his shoe. At one time it -was a wooden shoe, but today it looks exactly like the shoes worn by boys and girls in other countries. Hang- ing stockings is not practiced, this being rather an Angle Saxon cus- tom Usually. in French families that can afford it. the family has a sun- per on Christmas Eve. By family Continued on parze 5 I FEW GIFT SUGGESTIONS Yes, everyone can use ex- See our collec- tion in costume colors. a-THE GLOBE- &IK -THE GLORIA "Where Smarter Women Sliop"' tra Nylons! Macao GIFTS FOR IIER Values galore in our Gift Come in and see them today. -THE 'GLORlAm lovely Scarfs. that shelll L Lingerie luxury unlimited in our new beauties-a Gift --THE GLORIA- love you for! Fingers really stay warm in our angora, wool and leather .Glovgs.-A handsome gift. -mil: anoma- V 179' Grafton Street": mawoowuwwuaoe , .tothep:riahohuroh an a pen- usoms Around .., V by W Victoria Clnppelle A glance at the cookery book: used by our on t induces a sense of reluctant admiration for their extraordinary capacity. To do justice to a round of beef. mutton pastiek, goose liver, game and duck- iings. with various side dishes and a few assorted rich cakes, of which one lath century Chrhtmaa din- ner for four people consisted, sure- ly needed carefully trained ep- petites. But in those days eooke were proud of their work; ithey.. kept recipe books which were treated as heirlooms. and manv of these are still to be found all over Britain. A recent request by a famous wo- ma.n's organization to member: to send in their proven ancestral fa- mily recipes resulted in a book which is a treasure to every wo- man who loves experimenting in her kitchen. for many of the Christ- mas recipes can be used again to- day. - i when relatives drop in on Christ- mas Eve here is a good recipe for "Oast Cakes". The writer had a racy style of her own and he; in- structions ran: "Rub a tidy dollop of lard into a pound of flour with a pinch of salt and a toaspoonful of baking powder. Put in currants according to what you have. Mix up stiff with a nice drop of parsnip wine and water. Fry in hct fat, when they come up lovely and brown. -Don't hang about. but sit down and eat them. Hove l-lot." . But the relatives may insist on staying for supper. For that event here is I savory dish called: Cotswold Dumplings 2 eggs 4 oz. grated cheese 2 oz. butter Bread crumbs Pinch of salt Dash of pepper. Cream together butter and cheese. Add beaten eggs seasoned with salt and pepper. and enough white bread crumbs to fon-n a stiff mix- ture. Form info dumplings or balls. roll in bread crumbs and brown in hot fat. Can be served with toma- to puree. A cook in the household of a former Duke of Beaufort created ii sauce of which the family was so proud that it was called after the Duke's famous house. Badminton House Sauce V; bottle port wine 2 finely minced shallots 1 pinch cayenne pepper 1 tsp. mango chutney Finely grated rind of 3 oranges and 3 lemons. 1 tablespoon Worcester sauce I dessertsponn scraped horse- radish 1 lb. red currant jelly. Beat; all ingredients tcgether thoroughly and allow to stand a few days. Then there is always the cold dish ready for unexpected guests. and here is one fcr which the recipe seems first to have been recorded in 1800. although it is much older. It was always eaten at. Christmas time and is called: Chicken PIS stream a young cockerel and one pound of tender etrecky pork. When half done remove rind from pork and simmer in the liquor for an hour longer. Meanwhile. pre- pare a good flaky pastry. When the meat is tender. cut the bird inu small joints and the pork into cubes. Have ready sausage meat. hardboiled eggs. thin slices of hair. and stuffing. Line a baking dish with the pastry. reserving enough for the top crust. Arrange the cool- ed chicken and pork in the dish. then pile on balls of mileage meat lis I it .1. ..-ll .v 14 J; .v Jr,-Li 4.1. 4. THE CHRISTMAS Bringing College. Oxford, in 1848. During the but at the Queen's College it is still rived from Norse mythology; Freyr, boat's head, with its gilded snout, and growth at the winter solstice. At comes Satan defeated and borne in .A'r14 1,14,. risimas Retipes and Customs ..DECEMBER 18. 1950 ' A. 12 14 .14. in the Boar's Head at iihe Queen”; alxteenetli century the boar's head was gradually superseded by the turkey as principal Christmas dish served in the traditional manner. This ceremonial dish is first mentioned a-t a royal banquet in 1170. The boars head was garnished with bay and rosemary. with an orange ir its mouth. and the snout gilded. The dish had a ritual significance de- iihe god of light and fertility. rod: on a boar with golden hrvistlas, symbolislng the rays of the sun, and the celebrated the renewal of light the Christmas feast the boar's head was brought i. to the singing of a special carol. which appears in the first printed co lectlon made by Wyn-kyn de Worde in 1521. The threpi verses of this carol symbolise the Holy Trinity, and ilhe boar's head bv triumph. -(Courtesy U. K. Iriformaifn Oi'ficc.l Then pour over the cooled gravy to half fill the dish. Put on top crust. making sure of "steam holes". These can be concealed with pastry "leaves". Bake in slow oven for 11,5. hours, then cool slowly. For a crowd of hungry young- sters, why not try "Salmazundle?" It dates back to 1750 and is believed to have come from a West Indian household. Here is the original recipe. Salimnuidle "Take the white part of a roasted chicken with the white and yolks of 4 boiled eggs. 3 pickled herrings and 3 liandful of parsley. Chop all these ingredients exceeding small. take the same quantity of lean boiled ham. scraped fine. turn in china basin upside down in the dish. mould 4 ounces of butter in the shape of a pineapple and set it on the basin bottom. lay round our basin a ring of shred parsley, then a ring of yolks of eggs. then whites. then ham, then thicken. then her- ring till you have covered your basin and used all the ingredients. lay the bones of the pickled herring: upon it with the tails up to the butter and the heads laying on to the edge of the dish. lay a few capers and three or fcur pickled oysters round your dish and send it up". And now for a royal recipe. One Christmas. King Henry VIII of England snpv a pretty maid of hon- our eating a cake. l-Ier niurie was and dressing. topping with sliced hard-boiled eggs and thin curl: of Strange 'auperstitions, relics of the remote days when Britain's peoplewere pagans, still linger in many part: of the country and are remembered at Christmas time. Here are some of them! DEVIL'S KNOBL For the last seven hundred lc::!ly as the "Devil's Knoll". hu toiled on Christmas Eve in the vil::ze df Dewebury. Yorkshire, in the north of England. local leg- end says that the custom was be- gun by a barn. who nu the boil no for killing his servant. and 0 that it- Ibould be (ll!!! every Christmas live to remind him of his crime. By telling the bell once for every year since the birth of Christ, the final stroke being timed to ring at the hour of midnight, local people believe that the devil would be kept from .1 J pariah for the next . twelve months. ' - uiocuo or er. ru.i.uiu'n ITONII c At xillin. P,artbsbln.-' seemed. the .v:lIcun pullr riuhusuai carmmu from Lnoerbyi niacin tangent-rating plaorfor a number-are-.i-as taken from the allies of an uiolont earn-mill. oy m not ordinary atoms, for him. season with salt and pe'ppel'.wBS so fond were eventually known Devil's Knoll Tolls Every Christmas Eve; Is Legend ofDewsbury, Yorkshire Village: Anne Boleyn and she later became his wife. The cake: of which she as Maids of Honour. and here is the 16th century recipe: Maid: of Honour "Warm a pint of fresh milk :4 blood heat. add a teaspocnful ot rennet hnd 8. pinch of salt. When. the curds have set dram tlirough fine muslin all night. then rubiheiri with four ounces of butter ilii-ough a. sieve. Heat the yolks of two rggl to froth with e dessertspooi-ifil of brandy and add to the ourdl. Blanch and chop half on ounce of sweet almonds, add them ivltri I little sugar and powdered cinnamon and last cf all the grated rind and juice of half I lemon. Line patty pane with puff pastry, fill them with the mixture and sprinkle some with ourrants. Bake in a hot oven" And here is a final Christniu recipe for: shrocebury Cakeei "Take one "pound of flour. OM pound of sugar. one pound butter. half an ounce of caraway seed. some nutmeg. rub it well together: then take three eggs, beat them well. then put to them three SD00" fluls of sack and as much rcse wa- ter. Mix this with your paste then roll it out and cut it into what shapes you please: bake them upon tin plates. prick them -with a P1"- let your oven be not too hot." I'I'h0 book referred to in this article is: TRADITIONAL FARE OF E'NG' LAND AND WALES mibllsllcd W the National Federation of Woe men's Institutes, London.) saint, St. Fillian. to cure egue. aprainr, and other ailments and inJuriee.' BOAIVS HEAD FEAST Queen's College, Oxford Univer- sity me a Boar's Head Pent on Chflitlnu Day. which originated in the story of I student who was attacked by e wild boar some five hundred year: ago while studying Aristotle, durinl a walk. He killed his formidable n.'..-zmiry by tliriuting the vol- ume down the nnlmelu throat. To- day a . poplar mu.-he heed re- plnes theuvo-pound Ipeciinen un- kder the weight of which two at- tendanuund to tuner in by- gcae iiayr, bututbo spirit of the ceremony remain: unobunoii. Al the choir ring: the last note: of a tr3;Liti'snal carol. ' the 'head is placid on the table,-. of -tin lPI'0- voet. the Principal of the College. who Provost thin preterm . the oi-nninentn and embpiilchuienia one by one to the olioirboyl and vial- am. the coin III!!! reeetvihl the arena! i - X . 5 ,.,l: - OIAIIING I'lI.0I(lIAI.DI ' ola oiiruuuusncy or realm: night. has ltrgwn celebrations. In in the south of Y.'::lIlid. ienioin to: its apple- c't':i-, the custom of "alumina The Crchlrdl" was be all down the villagers believe that they verb m:dcmnIrMeIolyhItpeHon ory. Local farmers and their mail went to their orchard! after 4”” on Twelfth Night, carryins will and a great Jar of cider. with I large piece of toast or cake float- ing in it. No gun was considers; to be too old, if it. was able to M the priming, and the more 1101-” it mac. the better. when the pill; ty had reached one of the large! apple trzas, the farmer addres it while the guns. were discharged- The elder was then handed round: and the cap of cake eaten. care w..i take. to no that 5 5 0' sized piece was left in a fork ml the tree for the i-obina. for If i was left undontuie charm W0 have no effect. Firmly the hi” returned to the farmhouse '0 mi tel... mind the fire un . morning. like men! 0” wpgd clitionl, this custom Wu founwn -on a practical belief: the shot W supposed to tear the bark of m tree and to quicken the frultlnl a similar manner to the action beating a walnut tree. HOLY NIGHT Ira Weetmorluul the 1'0"” or mind. on cmigtgf kno ':'.'::cht.'.".or-'nc:'n'iinc."” hm ”' annual . proo-cl u no or holly mo, named the ton of the branches in Wh” czzli client-wltliln II I inun- tlnuod on plli